Targeting of mitomycin C to the liver by the use of asialofetuin as a carrier.

Desialylated fetuin (asialofetuin) was adopted as a carrier for introducing drugs in parenchymal liver cells. Mitomycin C, as a model guest-compound, was covalently attached to asialofetuin through a spacer of the succinyl group. The asialofetuin-mitomycin C conjugate contained 4.4 w/w% of mitomycin C and liberated it gradually at physiological conditions (t1/2 = 37 h). The survival time of the conjugate in rat blood circulation was significantly smaller than that of the non-desialylated fetuin conjugate; the elimination half-life was 7.3 min after intravenous injection. At 30 min after injection of the conjugate in rats, 40% of the dose was present in the liver. Parenchymal cells in the liver selectively took up the conjugate, which was highly distributed to the lysosomal fraction in the cell. The greater uptake of the conjugate by hepatocytes reflected the increased excretion in the bile; totally 10.4% of the dose was recovered.     

Analysis of primary aliphatic short-chain monoamines by LC in water samples

Several derivatization procedures with o-phthaldialdehyde-N-acetylcysteine (OPA-NAC) were compared for a rapid analysis of primary aliphatic short-chain monoamines in water samples by HPLC using a LiChorospher analytical separation column (100RP₁₈ mm i.d., 5 μm). Both the solution and the solid-support assisted off-line derivatization on C₁₈ SPE cartridges were inadequate options because of beginning degradation processes of the instable isoindol derivatives during their transfer to the analytical column. This problem was precluded with the on-column or solid-support assisted on-line derivatization. In the last mentioned procedure, the derivatization took place in a Hypersil C₁₈ precolumn ( mm i.d., 30 μm) connected with an additional preconcentration step resulting in better detection limits (0.002-0.040 μg ml⁻¹ requiring only 150 μl of water sample) than in the on-column procedure (0.08-0.16 μg ml⁻¹). The improved sample handling, the better control of parameters affecting reaction rates, the fully automation of this method with only 10 min analysis time for each sample are further advantageous. The potential of the solid-support assisted on-line derivatization was outlined and applied to water samples from several sources. Recovery values near 100% were obtained.     

Vaporisation et dissociation thermique des sulfures de phosphore P4S3, P4S7 et P4S10 a l'etat gazeux

Résumé Nous avons montré par spectrométrie Raman à chaud et mesure des tensions de vapeur que P₄S₃ se vaporise de façon congruente tandis que P₄S₇ et P₄S₁₀ se dissocient dès le début de leur vaporisation. P₄S₇ donne réversiblement P₄S₃ et soufre. P₄S₁₀ se dissocie irréversiblement en P₄S₇ et soufre. A l'état de vapeur non saturante, P₄S₃ se dissocie au-dessus de 600° avec formation de phosphore, de soufre et d'autres espèces non identifiées.Nous avons mesuré expérimentalement la capacité calorifique de P₄S₃ liquide, calculé celle de P₄S₃ gazeux et son entropie standard. Nous avons aussi estimé l'enthalpie standard de vaporisation de P₄S₃ à l'aide des mesures des tensions de vapeur saturante. Nous en avons déduit l'entropie standard de P₄S₃ liquide et son point d'ébullition.

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It is shown by Raman spectroscopy at high temperature and by vapor tensimetric measurements that the vaporisation of P₄S₃ is congruent, whereas P₄S₇ and P₄S₁₀ dissociate at the beginning of vaporisation. P₄S₇ gives P₄S₃ and sulfur reversibly. The dissociation of P₄S₁₀ into P₄S₇ and sulfur is irreversible. Above 600°, in non-saturated vapour the dissociation of P₄S₃ gives phosphorus, sulfur and some unidentified gaseous species. The heat capacity of liquid P₄S₃ has been measured. That of gaseous P₄S₃ and its standard entropy have been calculated. The vaporisation standard enthalpy of P₄S₃ has been estimated from the experimental results on the saturated vapour pressures. The standard entropy of liquid P₄S₃ and its boiling point have been derived from these data.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels Raman-Spektrometrie bei erhöhter Temperatur und durch Messung der Dampfdrucke wurde festgestellt, daß sich P₄S₃ verflüchtigt, während P₄S₇ und P₄S₁₀ mit Beginn der Verflüchtigung dissoziieren. P₄S₇ ergibt reversibel P₄S₃ und Schwefel. Im Zustand ungesättigten Dampfes dissoziiert P₄S₃ oberhalb von 600° unter Bildung von Phosphor, Schwefel und anderer nicht identifizierter Substanzen.Die Wärmekapazität von flüssigem P₄S₃ wurde gemessen, während die vom gasförmigem P₄S₃ sowie seine Standard-Entropie berechnet wurden. Die Standard-Enthalpie der Verflüchtigung des P₄S₃ wurde durch Messungen der Sättigungs-Dampfdrucke ermittelt. Daraus wurden die Standard-Entropie des flüssigen P₄S₃ sowie sein Siedepunkt berechnet.

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- - , P₄S₃ , P₄S₇ P₄S₁₀ . P₄S₇ P₄S₃ , P₄S₁₀ P₄S₇ . 600° P₄S₃ , . P₄S₃, P₄S₃ . P₄S₃. P₄S₃ .

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Nous remercions Monsieur Letoffe du laboratoire du Professeur J. Bousquet, INSA de Lyon, 20 Avenue Albert Einstein 401, 69621 Villeurbanne, qui a r6alis6 pour nous les déterminations expérimentales des capacités calorifiques de P₄S₈ liquide.     

Simultaneous determination of cefazolin in rat blood and brain by microdialysis and microbore liquid chromatography

A sensitive microbore liquid chromatographic method combined with the minimally invasive technique of microdialysis was devised for simultaneously and continuously monitoring the levels of unbound blood and brain cefazolin in rats. Microdialysis probes were inserted into the jugular vein and brain striatum for blood and brain sampling, respectively. Chromatographic conditions consisted of a mobile phase of methanol-acetonitrile-100 mM monosodium phosphoric acid (20:10:70, v/v, pH 4.5) pumped through a microbore reversed-phase column at a flow rate of 0.05 mL/min. The ultraviolet detection wavelength was set at 270 nm. An on-line design allowed direct and continuous analysis of protein-free samples in the dialysate. Microdialysis probes, being home-made, were screened for acceptable in vivo recovery. Chromatographic resolution and detection were validated for response linearity as well as intra-day and inter-day variabilities. This method was then applied to pharmacokinetic profiling of protein unbound cefazolin in both the blood and brain following intravenous administration (10 mg/kg, i.v., n = 6). Rapid appearance of cefazolin in the rat brain striatal dialysate following drug injection suggested good blood-brain barrier penetration. According to a non-compartmental pharmacokinetics model, the area under the concentration (AUC) vs time ratio of cefazolin in rat brain and blood was 6%.     

Dynamic mechanical and thermal behavior of thermotropic polyesters based on 4,4-alkane-1-ω-diylbis(4-hydroxybenzoic acid) and 4,4-(pentane-1,5-diyloxy)dibenzoic acid

Thermotropic polyesters based on 4,4^′-alkane-1-ω-diylbis(4-hydroxybenzoic acid) and 4,4^′-(pentane-1,5-diyloxy)dibenzoic acid were studied by dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing microscopy. The effect of structure changes in the mesogenic group as well as in the flexible spacer, in particular the incorporation of Cl atoms into the mesogen, introduction of ether oxygen into spacer and the number of CH₂ groups in spacer was investigated. More complex mechanical and thermal behaviour was found on second heating scan than on first cooling of the isotropic melt; higher values of mechanical functions were observed in the isotropic state than in the nematic state of melts. While an even number of CH₂ groups and the presence of ether oxygen in spacer shifts the transition temperatures to higher values, the incorporation of Cl atoms into the mesogen leads to disappearance of ordered structure and the polymers behave as amorphous materials.     

Migration of 99Tc in a Weak Loess Aquifer: A Field Column Experiment

The migration of ⁹⁹Tc in a weak loess aquifer was investigated in-situ with undisturbed aquifer medium columns. The columns were obtained horizontally at a depth of 3236 m in an Underground Research Facility (URF). Quartz containing ³H (HTO) and ⁹⁹Tc (in the form of ⁹⁹TcO₄ ^-) was introduced into one end of the columns and the columns were covered tightly. Aquifer water was introduced into the columns directly from an experimental shaft in the UFR. Effluents from the columns were collected and the activity of ³H and ⁹⁹Tc were determined with a liquid scintillation analyzer. The breakthrough curves of ³H and ⁹⁹Tc indicate that ⁹⁹Tc migrates a little faster than that ³H does in the aquifer.     

New results on photoion pair formation from application of the velocity imaging photoionisation coincidence technique

The velocity imaging photoionisation coincidence (VIPCO) technique is shown to be a powerful tool for studies of ion pair formation. Sequential mechanisms are demonstrated for some three-body ion pair formation reactions. Observation of a new type of reaction producing one negatively and two positively charged ions plus an electron is reported.     

The effect of gamma-irradiation of anthracite coal and oil bitumen

Anthracite coal and oil bitumen were submitted to γ-radiation at a total dose of 1 MGy and the radiation-processed samples were studied by FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The coal samples were studied also by TGA coupled with FT-IR spectroscopy of the evolved gases. Thermal analysis has revealed a completely different behavior of the radiolyzed samples in comparison to the unirradiated samples. Both for coal and bitumen significantly less volatile fraction was released during the TGA and in both cases a significant increase in the amount of carbon coke produced at 800-900 °C was observed. The radiation processed bitumen increased significantly its ethyl acetate insolubles content. These results were interpreted in terms of extensive crosslinking and coalification of the samples under the action of γ-radiation. The results of this study have been applied to the carbonization process of terrestrial sedimentary organic matter which is commonly attributed to the action of heat flux from the depth of the Earth but which may be also due to the action of natural radiation. Other application of the results of the present study is to the complex organic matter present on the surfaces of comets and meteorites. This complex matter was formed by exposure of simple precursors to a field of high energy radiation for millions or billions of years and is consequently transformed into coal-like and bitumen-like matter. The same arguments apply to the carbon grains present in the interstellar and circumstellar medium. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

New integrated measurement protocol using capillary electrophoresis instrumentation for the determination of viscosity, conductivity and absorbance of ionic liquid-molecular solvent mixtures

The low vapor pressure and the versatility of the physico-chemical properties of ionic liquids make them really attractive as an alternative for conventional molecular solvents. The knowledge of their physico-chemical properties (viscosity, conductivity, miscibility with organic solvents and anion-cation interactions) has appeared mandatory for better targeting their applications, although it is generally still lacking or incomplete.This work promotes capillary electrophoresis instrumentation as an integrated apparatus for measurement of viscosity, conductivity and absorbance of pure ionic liquids and ionic liquid-molecular solvent mixtures. Compared to current conventional techniques, the assets of this instrumentation for this purpose are the combined availability of a pressure delivery system, power supply, diode array absorbance detector and thermoregulation device, allowing unattended, automatic and easy operation, involving minimum sample handling. Most importantly, the required sample volume can be reduced to about 50 μL, making this protocol very cost-effective. A protocol was optimized with respect to time, sample consumption and data reliability for the determination of these physico-chemical parameters. Ionic liquids selected for method development and validation differed in the nature of their cation (butyl- and ethyl-methylimidazolium) and anion (trifluoromethanesulfonate and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide). Various molecular solvents were mixed with these ionic liquids (acetonitrile, methanol, dimethylformamide and trifluoroethanol) and the same physico-chemical properties were determined by optimized methods. The knowledge of these data should be of great support in various application areas, including the development of new separation media for capillary electrophoresis and chromatographic techniques.     

Comparative study of the catalytic properties of V2O5, Nb2O5 and Ta2O5 in the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde

The selectivity of the oxides under consideration to the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde is shown to increase in the sequence V₂O₅–Nb₂O₅–Ta₂O₅. The same sequence corresponds to the decrease in specific activity. The activation energy of the reaction is 12 kcal/mol for V₂O₅, 14 kcal/mol for Nb₂O₅ and 22 kcal/mol for Ta₂O₅.

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, V₂O₅–Nb₂O₅–Ta₂O₅. . : V₂O₅ 12 /, Nb₂O₅ 14 / Ta₂O₅ 22 /.